Family update

I've done a few updates on the pregnancy, but not much on the family.  So, despite the fact that we really haven't had much when it comes to events, I feel the need to do so.

Skyler

I love this man.  He is awesome, helpful, and a delight to have home with me.  BUT... I can't wait until he gets a job! =)  I have had a little too much first hand experience with his ADD.  Recently we have discovered that his "time off"  has seriously hindered his time management skills.  I tell him it is time to go somewhere and that is when he decides to start getting ready...despite the fact that we talked about when we were leaving and giving him time warnings.  Like I said, he needs to get back to work.   Anyway, he has yet again changed his degree.  School has been a great challenge for him...not in actually doing it, but in knowing what he wants to do.  He has been a little clueless and has been doing soul searching.  In that process we have changed the degree for the 4th and final time!!  I told him NO MORE  he had to figure it out and settle with his choice.  He has decided to do what he has always thought about doing.  He's getting a degree in Accounting and will be going for his CPA.  He has always worried that this would lead to a boring desk job, but he also realized that is what he has had for the past ten years and he enjoyed it.    So, the journey begins!  Once his bachelors is done he will be continuing on to his Masters in Business Administration...that part of the plan as not changed. 

Matthew

I love this kid.  He has been so good to his little brothers.  Although Teagan won't let Matthew help him with things, he still tries.  His progress reports have improved and he now has either Meets or Exceeds on everything.  It has taken a lot of work to get him to that point, but I have found the computer to be a very useful tool.  Every Friday he takes a computer class for the last hour of school where he can go on educational websites and practice where he is lacking.  With all of the good news, we of course have not so good news.  His medication is becoming ineffective yet again.  I think I can safely say he's been driving me insane.  He hasn't been doing what he's told, he can't seem to complete a sentence without pausing in the middle of it, he keeps clicking his tongue, he gets distracted very easily, and he has been bouncing off the walls no matter how much exercise he gets.  All of these symptoms are what I deal with when he isn't on medication at all so it is either time to up the prescription or get a new one.  We may up it first because he has gained weight and that may be the cause of the ineffectiveness.  I know all this is a lot harder to handle with all the horomones running through me so I am trying to control my irritability.

Jayden

Jayden has been similar to Matthew.  He's been helpful, kind to his brothers, and quick to help when needed.  At his parent teacher conference in November he was safely at the top of the class, but as of right now I'm not so sure that is the case.  He seems to be slacking in class.  The work he has brought home has shown that he is either not paying attention in class or not reading directions... neither of which is okay with me.  His progress reports have gone from mostly Exceeds to Meets with some Approaching and one Emergent.  In other words... not good for Jayden.  He has always done great in school.  I think the stress in our lives is starting to get to him, but when we try and talk to him he doesn't open up.  His old habit of lying has resurfaced and he has been quick to lose his temper and turn to violence.  None of this is in Jayden's nature.  In the last few months he has become a different kid and we are praying that things will get better.  There isn't much we can do to change our situation at this point so right now we're just trying to find a way for him to cope.  He has a bad habit of eves dropping on conversations that Skyler and I have, which is what I think has attributed to his problems.  Overall he seems happy.  He and Matthew have made friends in the ward and play with them almost every day after school.  I have been very excited about this because they all get along so well.  It has truly been a blessing to live here for that reason alone.

Logan

Logan is doing great!  He has been so helpful around here! Since his birthday he has decided he can be like his older brothers so he does his part in cleaning his room and he cleans up whatever mess he makes before school.  On Saturday when the older boys were slacking off on their chores Logan was finishing his and kept asking me for more to do.  When I ran out of chores to give him he got to play video games and he was so excited about it.  His school work has been exceptional and he is so excited for kindergarten.  I have to say he is also excited about the new baby.  Today he was so persistant with the questions about how the baby comes out.  I finally had to tell him it is similar to pooping, which he thought was hilarious.  He asked if it comes out my mouth, if my belly pops open and lets it out.... you know, whatever a five year old brain can come up with.  It all came up because I told him not to hug me because I was having contractions and it hurt when he hugged me.  I definitely opened a can of worms.  So, don't be surprised if he goes around saying "Mom is going to poop the baby out!"  AH! Crazy kid!   

Teagan

This child has totally worn me out lately.  We had a bout of RSV 2 weeks ago, along with a bilateral ear infection, which totally derailed his potty training.  The medicine he was taking made him constipated so he was refusing to poop because he was afraid it would hurt.  After trying miralax and supositories we decided a week was too long without a bowel movement so we ended up giving him an enema, which was not pleasant, but it worked!  So, I've decided since I am so far along I'm going to stop pushing the potty training.  The kid won't poop in the toilet and I am in no condition to be constantly bending over changing him because of his many accidents.  Every morning I ask him if he wants to pee in the toilet and since the enema he tells me no.  I think he needs to get over this traumatic experience before we try this again.  I'm a little worried about what will happen when this baby comes home because Teagan is VERY clingy right now.  He won't let anyone...not even Skyler help him with anything.  He has certain things he'll do with Dad, like go to the library to drop off books, take and pick up the boys from school, or go out and ride bikes, but when it comes to the necessities I honestly can't seem to convince him to let Dad help.  His world is going to get turned upside down in 5 weeks.

Kim

I am hanging in there.  I'm at that stage where I'm not comfortable and frankly, a lot of the time I'm in pain.  I've been having a lot of braxton hicks, which is great, but they are going into my back.  This is making my lower back ache all day and night, which is causing me to be quite irritable.  I'm trying very hard to control my feelings of being annoyed or irritated, but it is becoming increasingly hard because I'm not sleeping well either.  So, I am starting to get excited about the baby, but I think it may have more to do with me getting my body back. =)  I am really looking forward to meeting this little "guy" but I'm nervous too.  I'm struggling with 4 right now because of their many issues, so right now my confidence in being able to handle five is not very high.  I just gotta keep the faith and remember this baby was sent to us for a reason and more importantly... I can do this!  I really believe this child is part of the challenges we've been facing during this trial.  I'm so used to having everything ready, I'm used to knowing what lies ahead... or at least being able to predict it.  This time is not the case.  We have no job security, we really don't have a "place" for the baby right now, and thoughts of the ultrasound being wrong have creeped into my head and it is making me totally nervous!  With every other pregnancy I've had an ultrasound toward the end and was able to double check the gender, but not this time.  So I have to trust that it is a boy and plan on it.  However... recently I've heard one too many stories of technicians calling it a boy in the first ultrasound, only to have it actually be girl.  I had never heard of this happening until it happened to my friend Heidi... she was only the first!  I knew if they said girl it could end up being a boy, but not the other way around!  I am sure the next 5 weeks will fly by and before we know it we'll have this new addition to our family.  I can honestly say after all the pain I've been in the last 2 weeks I'm ready for labor, so bring it on! =)